The hearing is about to start. Brown sits shuffling papers as he awaits his integrators. He's here so apparently the Bush Whitehouse has not conceded to his demands of a legal excuse not to testify. More to come as the hearing progresses.

A. Mr. Brown has asked Whitehouse counsel (Harriet Myers) whether the Whitehouse wanted to put Mr. Brown under Executive privilege. The Whitehouse counsel declined. Sen Ted Stephens (R Alaska) seemed miffed at this as he really doesn't want Mr. Brown spewing his guts all over the hearing room. Mr Brown talks about having conversations with many high lvl people including Andy Card.

B. Brown says that the DHS saying they didn't know the situation on the ground was "baloney". He said he E-mailed a Whitehouse official the night of the flooding about the situation." They had to know." Said Brown. Brown said that after getting a report from a FEMA staffer who had just flown over the area, that he called the Whitehouse, and spoke to Joe Higgin (probably) He wanted to get the word out to the President (who as usual was in Crawford) Mr. Brown said he knew it was a worse case scenario.

C. As this conversation progresses it seems evident that Michael Chertoff is conspicuously absent from any of the processes going on.

D. Mr. Brown says Republicans responsible for making an ineffective bureaucracy in reference to the Department of homeland Security. Again he states that Andy Card was told that "this is the big one", in reference to the hurricane. The Whitehouse knew.

Mr. Brown ended his testimony having answered all questions asked of him, and not once declining to answer. He also did not shirk his own responsibility, ansd provided documentation of all his claims.